CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to Korean Patent Application
No.
10-2013-0063702, filed on June 3, 2013, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated
herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus of forming an image between
a mobile terminal and an image forming apparatus based on near field communication
(NFC).
2. Description of the Related Art
[0003] As mobile communication technologies develop and mobile communication terminals have
become popular, mobile terminal such as smartphones, tablet PCs, PDA, etc. are replacing
conventional personal computers. In the field of image forming apparatuses such as
printers, scanners, facsimiles, copiers, or multifunctional peripherals (MFPs), a
technology of directly using an image forming apparatus with a mobile terminal, without
using a PC, is being developed.
[0004] In particular, to overcome the limitations of an interface of a mobile terminal and
still guarantee mobility, communication between an image forming apparatus and a mobile
terminal is performed in a wireless manner. However, a wireless connection process
according to a conventional technology is not only complicated and inconvenient but
also requires that a user have previous knowledge about a wireless network.
[0005] In addition, since a mobile application provided to use an image forming apparatus
on a mobile terminal is operated in an environment different from a PC environment,
a user who is not familiar with the operation of the mobile application may have difficulty
using the image forming apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present general inventive concept provides a method and apparatus to perform
an image forming job of an image forming apparatus using a mobile terminal supporting
near field communication (NFC).
[0007] The present general inventive concept provides a computer-readable recording medium
having recorded thereon a program to execute the method on a computer.
[0008] Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be
set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from
the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.
[0009] According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method as set
forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from
the dependent claims, and the description which follows.
[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide a method of
forming an image using a mobile terminal supporting near field communication (NFC),
the method including launching a mobile application corresponding to an application
identifier of tag information of an NFC tag obtained through first NFC tagging, generating
data of a job to be performed by an image forming apparatus through the mobile application
when the NFC tag is detected again through second NFC tagging, the job being determined
according to a state of the mobile application during the second NFC tagging, and
transmitting the generated data to the image forming apparatus. The job to be performed
is determined according to a state of the mobile application during the second NFC
tagging.
[0011] The tag information may include at least one of a first field including the application
identifier, a second field including application installation information, a third
field including a device identifier, a fourth field including a wireless connection
authorization code, and a fifth field including a device model name.
[0012] The method may further include determining whether an application corresponding to
the application identifier exists among applications installed on the mobile terminal.
[0013] The method may further include accessing a download page of the mobile application
by using application installation information of the tag information when it is determined
that no application corresponding to the application identifier exists, and executing
an installation file of the mobile application obtained from the download page.
[0014] The method may further include identifying wireless connection signaling of the image
forming apparatus or an access point (AP) connected to the image forming apparatus
by using a device identifier included in the tag information, and establishing a wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus through response signaling with respect
to the identified wireless connection signaling.
[0015] The method may further include performing authentication needed to establish wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus by transmitting an authentication code
included in the tag information to the image forming apparatus.
[0016] The method may further include outputting a dialog to receive an input of a new authentication
code when an authentication failure message is received as a response to the transmission
of the authentication code, and establishing a wireless connection with the image
forming apparatus by transmitting the new authentication code input through the dialog.
[0017] The method may further include switching a mode of the NFC from a read mode to a
write mode when an authentication success message is received as a response to the
transmission of the new authentication code, and encrypting and writing the new authentication
code at a position of the NFC tag where the authentication code is written when the
NFC tag is detected again through third NFC tagging.
[0018] The method may further include determining validity of data of the new authentication
code by using at least a part of the new authentication code.
[0019] The performing of the authentication may include performing, by the image forming
apparatus, Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS) authentication by comparing a personal identification
number (PIN) value written to firmware with the authentication code, and if the WPS
authentication succeeds, the image forming apparatus transmitting an Internet Protocol
(IP) for a wireless connection with the mobile terminal.
[0020] The method may further include determining whether the NFC tag detected through the
second NFC tagging is a tag of the image forming apparatus.
[0021] In the determining of whether the NFC tag detected through the second NFC tagging
is a tag of the image forming apparatus, the tag information obtained through the
second NFC tagging may be compared with device information obtained through the wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus.
[0022] In the determining of whether the NFC tag detected through the second NFC tagging
is a tag of the image forming apparatus, the tag information obtained through the
first NFC tagging and the second NFC tagging may be compared with each other.
[0023] The method may further include, if the NFC tag detected through the second NFC tagging
is determined to be a tag of a second image forming apparatus, terminating the wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus, and establishing a wireless connection
with the second image forming apparatus by using the tag information obtained through
the second NFC tagging.
[0024] The state of the mobile application may include a state in which an initial page,
a print job page, a scan job page, or a fax job page is displayed, and in the generating
of the data of the job to be performed in the image forming apparatus, the displayed
page may be identified during the second NFC tagging and an event mapped with the
identified page may be executed.
[0025] In the executing of the mobile application, a user interface (UI) of the mobile application
may be configured according to device information obtained through the wireless connection
with the image forming apparatus or the tag information.
[0026] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a mobile
terminal including a near field communication (NFC) module obtaining tag information
written to an NFC tag through first NFC tagging in a read mode of NFC, a control unit
executing a mobile application corresponding to an application identifier of tag information
obtained through the first NFC tagging and, if the NFC module detects the NFC tag
again through second NFC tagging, generating data of a job to be performed in an image
forming apparatus through the mobile application, the control unit determining the
job to be performed according to a state of the mobile application during the second
NFC tagging, and a wireless communication module transmitting the data to the image
forming apparatus at a request of the control unit.
[0027] The tag information may include at least one of a first field including the application
identifier, a second field including application installation information, a third
field including a device identifier, a fourth field including a wireless connection
authentication code, and a fifth field including a device model name.
[0028] The control unit may determine whether an application corresponding to the application
identifier exists in a storage unit of the mobile terminal.
[0029] The control unit may access a download page of the mobile application by using an
application installation information of the tag information when it is determined
that no application corresponding to the application identifier exists in the storage
unit, and executes an installation file of the mobile application that a mobile terminal
module of the mobile terminal obtains from the download page.
[0030] The wireless communication module may identify wireless connection signaling of the
image forming apparatus or an access point (AP) connected to the image forming apparatus
by using the device identifier included in the tag information, and establish a wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus through response signaling with respect
to the identified wireless connection signaling.
[0031] The wireless communication module may perform authentication needed to establish
wireless connection with the image forming apparatus by transmitting an authentication
code included in the tag information to the image forming apparatus.
[0032] The mobile terminal may further include a user interface unit that outputs a dialog
to receive an input of a new authentication code when the wireless communication module
receives an authentication failure message as a response to the transmission of the
authentication code. The wireless communication module may establish a wireless connection
with the image forming apparatus by transmitting the new authentication code input
through the dialog.
[0033] The NFC module may switch a mode of the NFC from a read mode to a write mode when
an authentication success message is received as a response to the transmission of
the new authentication code, and write the new authentication code at a position of
the NFC tag where the authentication code is written when the NFC tag is detected
again through third NFC tagging.
[0034] The control unit may determine validity of data of the new authentication code by
using at least a part of the new authentication code.
[0035] The control unit may determine whether the NFC tag detected through the second NFC
tagging is a tag of the image forming apparatus.
[0036] The control unit may determine whether the NFC tag detected through the second NFC
tagging is a tag of the image forming apparatus by comparing the tag information obtained
through the second NFC tagging with device information obtained through the wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus.
[0037] The control unit may determine whether the NFC tag detected through the second NFC
tagging is a tag of the image forming apparatus by comparing the tag information obtained
through the first NFC tagging and the second NFC tagging with each other.
[0038] If the NFC tag detected through the second NFC tagging is determined to be a tag
of a second image forming apparatus, the wireless communication module may terminate
the wireless connection with the image forming apparatus and establish a wireless
connection with the second image forming apparatus by using the tag information obtained
through the second NFC tagging.
[0039] The mobile terminal may further include a user interface (UI) unit that displays
a page of the mobile application comprising at least one of an initial page, a print
job page, a scan job page, and a fax job page. The control unit may identify a page
of the mobile application displayed on the UI unit during the second NFC tagging and
generate the job to be performed in the image forming apparatus by executing an event
mapped with the identified page.
[0040] The control unit may configure a user interface (UI) of the mobile application according
to the device information obtained through the wireless connection with the image
forming apparatus or the tag information.
[0041] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a system
including a near field communication (NFC) tag including tag information written to
the NFC tag, the tag information including at least one of a first field including
an application identifier, a second field including application installation information,
a third field including a device identifier, a fourth field including a wireless connection
authentication code, and a fifth field including a device model name is written to
the NFC tag, a mobile terminal which executes a mobile application corresponding to
the application identifier of the tag information obtained through first NFC tagging
and, if the NFC tag is detected again through second NFC tagging, generates data of
a job to be performed in the image forming apparatus according to a state of the mobile
application and transmits the generated data of the job to be performed to the image
forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus which performs an image forming
job according to the received job data.
[0042] A computer-readable recording medium may have recorded therein a program to execute
the method of forming an image using a mobile terminal supporting NFC communication.
[0043] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a method
of controlling an electronic device with a mobile terminal supporting near field communication
(NFC), the method including obtaining tag information from an NFC tag, and performing
a plurality of operations corresponding to respective portions of the obtained tag
information, according to a state of the mobile terminal.
[0044] The tag information may include a plurality of discrete fields, the fields respectively
corresponding to the portions of the obtained tag information.
[0045] The plurality of operations may include launching a mobile application corresponding
to an application identifier in a first of the portions, wirelessly connecting the
mobile terminal to the electronic apparatus according to connection information in
a second of the portions, and transmitting job data to the electronic apparatus according
to device identification information in a third of the portions.
[0046] The plurality of operations may further include installing the mobile application
according to installation information in a fourth of the portions.
[0047] The state of the mobile terminal may correspond to content displayed on a display
of the mobile terminal.
[0048] The content may include at least one of an initial page, a print job page, a scan
job page, and a fax job page.
[0049] The launching of the mobile application may be performed when the mobile application
is selected on a display of the mobile terminal, the wirelessly connecting the mobile
terminal to the electronic apparatus may be performed when a connection status screen
is displayed on the display of the mobile terminal, and the transmitting the job data
to the electronic apparatus may be performed when a job screen is displayed on the
display of the mobile terminal.
[0050] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a mobile
terminal including a near field communication (NFC) module to obtain tag information
from an NFC tag, and a controller to perform a plurality of operations corresponding
to respective portions of the obtained tag information, according to a state of the
mobile terminal.
[0051] Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept also provide a method
of controlling an electronic apparatus wirelessly connected to a mobile terminal supporting
near field communication (NFC), the method including configuring a job through an
executed mobile application and displaying a screen corresponding to the job on a
display of the mobile terminal, obtaining tag information of an NFC tag, the tag information
including a plurality of fields, reading a first of the plurality of fields to verify
that the NFC tag corresponds to the electronic apparatus, generating data corresponding
to the configured job, and transmitting the generated data of the job to the electronic
apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0052] These and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept
will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of
the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
FIG. 1A is a graph illustrating a comparison between a data rate and a communication
range of NFC and other wireless communication methods;
FIG. 1B illustrates standards related to an NFC technology;
FIGS. 2A and 2B are views illustrating three communication modes of NFC;
FIG. 3A illustrates an NFC environment according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present general inventive concept;
FIG. 3B illustrates an NFC environment similar to that of FIG. 3A, according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 3C illustrates a wireless communication environment where an image forming apparatus
and a mobile terminal exist, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general
inventive concept;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a hardware structure of a mobile
terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 5 is a block view schematically illustrating a software structure of a mobile
terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an image forming apparatus according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an FW providing server according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a data structure of an NFC tag according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart describing an image forming method according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart describing an image forming method according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart describing an installation process of a mobile application
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 12 illustrates events according to NFC tagging according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart describing a process of establishing a wireless connection
between the mobile terminal and the image forming apparatus, according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIGS. 14A to 14E illustrates GUIs in a process of writing an NFC tag according to
exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 15 illustrates an initial page of a mobile application according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIGS. 16A and B are flowcharts describing an operation according to a mobile application,
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 17 is a flowchart describing a method of writing an NFC tag according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept;
FIG. 18 is a flowchart describing a method of writing an NFC tag according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and
FIG. 19 illustrates a method of updating firmware of an image forming apparatus, according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0053] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present general inventive
concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described
below in order to explain the present general inventive concept while referring to
the figures.
[0054] As used herein, expressions such as "at least one of," when preceding a list of elements,
modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the individual elements of the
list.
[0055] The exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept described herein
relate to control of electronic apparatuses through a mobile terminal 10 (illustrated
in FIG. 3A-3C). An electronic apparatus may be any device which may be controlled
through a mobile application 2502 (illustrated in FIG. 4), the mobile application
2502 receiving information about the electronic apparatus through an NFC tag 30 (illustrated
in FIG. 3B). This may include for example a display apparatus or an image forming
apparatus 10 (illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3B). As used herein, an image forming apparatus
10 is an apparatus having an image forming function, including but not limited to
a facsimile machine, a printer, a scanner, and a multi-function peripheral (MFP) combining
multiple different image forming functions.
[0056] FIG. 1A is a graph illustrating a comparison between a data rate and a communication
range of NFC and other wireless communication methods. Referring to FIG. 1A, when
compared with other wireless communication methods, near field communication (NFC)
may be performed within a range of about 10 cm. In other words, unlike Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi, etc. capable of communicating from several meters to tens of meters, NFC may
communicate within an extremely short range of about 10 cm.
[0057] NFC may be compared with other wireless communication methods such as Bluetooth,
Zigbee, etc. as illustrated in Table 1.
[Table 1]
Technology |
Frequency in use |
Security |
Standard range |
Main service area |
NFC |
13.56 MHz |
Encryption applied |
International standard |
Non-contact payment, RFID, File transfer |
Bluetooth |
2.4 GHz |
Not applied |
International standard |
File transfer |
Zigbee |
2.4 GHz |
Not applied |
International standard |
Device control, RFID |
900MHz RFID |
900 MHz |
Not applied |
Domestic (KR) standard |
RFID |
[0058] In other words, when compared with other wireless communication methods, NFC, which
operates only within a range of about 10 cm and adopts encryption technology, has
high security. Accordingly, when used in combination of other high-speed wireless
communication methods such as 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, etc., NFC may facilitate efficient communication
between devices. For example, when NFC technology and Bluetooth technology are combined
with each other, the NFC technology is used for connection (authentication) between
devices and the Bluetooth technology is used to transfer data between devices, so
that the devices may efficiently communicate with each other.
[0059] FIG. 1B illustrates standards related to the NFC technology. The NFC standard technology
follows the international organization for standardization (ISO) and is an extension
of an ISO 14443 proximity-card standard. FIG. 1B illustrates that the inclusion relationship
between the NFC Interface Protocol-1 (NFC IP-1) (ISO/IEC 18092) standard and the NFC
IP-2 (ISO/IEC 21481) standard. ISO/IEC 14443 Type A and Type B, FeliCa, and ISO/IEC
15693 are international standards for a non-contact type card operating at a frequency
of 13.56MHz. ISO/IEC 18092 defines a communication mode for NFC interface and protocol.
[0060] FIGS. 2A and 2B are views explaining three communication modes of NFC. Referring
to FIG. 2A, the NFC forum classifies major communication modes of NFC into a reader/writer
mode 301, a P2P mode 302, and a card emulation mode 303, for standardization. The
three communication modes of NFC may be summarized as illustrated in Table 2.
[Table 2]
|
ISO/IEC 15693 |
ISO/IEC 18092 |
ISO/IEC 14443 |
Operation mode |
Communication between reader/tag (VCD2 mode) |
Communication between devices (P2P mode) |
Communication between reader/tag (PCD1 mode) |
Power supply |
Passive |
Active and passive |
Passive |
Communication range |
1m |
10∼20cm |
10cm |
Data rate |
26kbps or less |
106, 212, 424Kbps |
106Kbps |
(PCD: Proximity Coupling Device, VCD: Vicinity Coupling Device) |
[0061] First, in the reader/writer mode 301, a device including an NFC chipset, such as
a mobile terminal 20, operates as a reader to read an NFC module, for example an NFC
tag 30, or as a writer to write information to the NFC module (tag 30). The device
including an NFC chipset and the NFC tag 30 may be separated from each other. The
NFC tag 30 may exist outside the device that operates in the reader/writer mode 301.
For example, the NFC tag 30 may be a passive tag included in, attached to, or otherwise
associated with a separate device. Specifically, an NFC tag 30 of a particular device
may be located at a distance from the device, but in a location convenient to be read
by the device including the NFC chipset. For example, the NFC tag 30 could be located
on the desk of a user of the mobile terminal 20, thereby allowing the user to read
the NFC tag 30 with the mobile terminal 20 without needing to move away from their
desk. If a given device is associated with a passive NFC tag 30 but lacks an NFC function,
the device may not read or write the passive NFC tag 30. If the NFC tag 30 is an active
tag included in a device having an NFC function, the device may read or write the
NFC tag 30 through an NFC function. Although an active tag may be difficult to install
post-manufacturing on a device that does not support the NFC function, a passive tag
associated with a device that does not support the NFC function may be installed or
removed like a sticker from a location chosen by the user. In this manner, the passive
NFC tag may be placed in a location convenient to the user.
[0062] The NFC module may include a semiconductor device (not illustrated) to permanently
or temporarily store data. The stored data may be modified or changed depending on
an input from an external device, such as for example the mobile terminal 20.
[0063] The P2P mode 302 supports bidirectional communication between two NFC devices. To
establish connection, a client, that is, an NFC P2P initiator, discovers a host, that
is, an NFC P2P target, and transmits data in an NDEF message format to the host. The
client may be for example a mobile terminal 20, and the host may be for example an
image forming apparatus 10. The data may include for example mail address information,
login/password information, telephone book information, schedule information, and/or
xml data. According to the P2P mode 302, although data exchange between devices is
possible, a data rate is the maximum 424 Kbps or less and thus the P2P mode 302 is
appropriate for the exchange of data having a relatively small size
[0064] In the card emulation mode 303, a mobile terminal 20 including an NFC tag 30 operates
like a smart card (ISO/IEC 14443). Accordingly, the card emulation mode 303 is compatible
with the ISO 14443 that is an international standard for a non-contact card as well
as FeliCa by Sony and MiFare by Philips.
[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 2B, a protocol is standardized so that the three communication
modes of NFC may be organically provided. FIG. 2B illustrates a software structure
in an NFC system.
[0066] A logical link control protocol (LLCP) is a protocol for connection and control of
communication between layers. An NFC data exchange format (NDEF) message is a basic
message structure defined by the NFC communication protocol. NDEF defines a record
format about message exchange between a device and a tag and is a standard exchange
format about a uniform resource identifier (URI), a smart poster, and others. An NDEF
message includes one or more NDEF records. An NDEF record includes a payload described
by each of a type, a length, and an option identifier. An NDEF payload means application
data included in the NDEF record. A record type definition (RTD) defines a record
type and a type name that may correspond to the NDEF record. A Card Emulation allows
smart card capability for mobile devices.
[0067] FIG. 3A illustrates an NFC environment 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 3A, the NFC environment 1
includes an image forming apparatus 10 supporting an NFC function and a mobile terminal
20 supporting an NFC function. The image forming apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG.
3A including an NFC chipset may operate in the P2P mode 302 using the NFC function
with the mobile terminal 20. However, the image forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3A may
operate not only in the P2P mode 302 but also in the reader/writer mode 301 and the
card emulation mode 303. The mobile terminal 20 is detailed below with reference to
FIG. 4, and the image forming apparatus 10 is detailed below with reference to FIG.
6.
[0068] FIG. 3B illustrates an NFC environment 1 similar to that of FIG. 3A, according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG.
3B, the NFC environment 1 includes the image forming apparatus 10 supporting an NFC
function and the mobile terminal 20 supporting an NFC function like the NFC environment
1 of FIG. 3A. In particular, it is a difference between the two NFC environments 1
that, while the image forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3A uses an NFC chipset, the image
forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B uses an NFC tag 30. When an NFC chipset is in use,
all functions of the NFC tag 30 may be performed. For example, when an NFC chipset
operates in the card emulation mode 303, the NFC chipset may perform the same function
as the NFC tag 30. The function of the NFC tag 30 includes transmitting information
written to the NFC tag 30 to the mobile terminal 20 via NFC.
[0069] Instead of a read only/write only tag, the NFC tag 30 may be a read/write tag, so
as to be written or modified by the image forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B. A read
only tag has physical properties that it may not be modified once written. A read/write
tag has physical properties that allow data which has been written to be erased or
modified. Accordingly, this difference is a different concept from the classification
of the passive tag and the active tag.
[0070] The NFC tag 30 is an active tag so as to be written or modified by the image forming
apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B. To allow the NFC tag 30 to operate as an active tag, the
image forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B is provided with a transmission line or an NFC
chipset , to transceive data between an IC of the NFC tag 30 and the image forming
apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B.
[0071] Accordingly, when the NFC tag 30 is attached on a conventional image forming apparatus
having no transmission line or an NFC chipset, the NFC tag 30 operates as a passive
tag not an active tag. When the NFC tag 30 operates as a passive tag, the mobile terminal
20 may read or modify information written to the NFC tag 30, but the image forming
apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B may not read or modify the information written to the NFC
tag 30. When the NFC tag 30 operates as an active tag, both of the mobile terminal
20 and the image forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B may read or modify information written
to the NFC tag 30. Although an active tag is functionally advantageous because it
includes all functions of a passive tag, the passive tag is more easily installed
in the image forming apparatus 10, compared to the active tag.
[0072] In the following description, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus 10 of
FIG. 3B does not include the NFC tag 30 during manufacturing. Accordingly, the image
forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B may communicate with the mobile terminal 20 using
an NFC function only when the NFC tag 30 is installed in the image forming apparatus
10 of FIG. 3B later. The image forming apparatus 10 may include at least one slot
(not illustrated) to install the NFC tag 30 of an active or passive type later.
[0073] If an active tag is installed later in the image forming apparatus 10 of FIG. 3B,
the operation of the NFC environment 1 to be described in the present exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept may be understood like the NFC environment
1 of FIG. 3A.
[0074] Although it is described that only one pair of the image forming apparatus 10 and
the mobile terminal 20 exists in the NFC environment 1 for convenience of explanation,
a plurality of different types of electronic devices supporting an NFC function may
exist in the NFC environment 1 and the electronic devices may operate in the same
method as in the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
[0075] FIG. 3C illustrates a wireless communication environment 2 where the image forming
apparatus 10 and the mobile terminal 20 exist, according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept. Referring to FIG. 3C, other surrounding
wired/wireless networks are illustrated with the NFC environment 1. The NFC environment
1 may operate in engagement with the surrounding wired/wireless networks such as Wi-Fi
Direct, Bluetooth, Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g/n, etc. In the wireless communication environment
2, the image forming apparatus 10 and the mobile terminal 20 may be connected by Wi-Fi
Direct or via a Wi-Fi access point (AP) (802.11a/b/g/n) in a wired/wireless manner.
[0076] FIG. 4 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a hardware structure of the
mobile terminal 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept. The mobile terminal 20 according to the present exemplary embodiment may
be embodied in a variety of forms, for example, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a
digital broadcasting terminal, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia
player (PMP), a navigation device, a tablet PC, etc.
[0077] Referring to FIG. 4, the mobile terminal 20 may include an NFC module 210, a wireless
communication module 220, a mobile communication module 260, a user interface unit
230, a control unit 240, and a storage unit 250. The present general inventive concept
is not limited thereto and the mobile terminal 20 may further include other common
elements (not illustrated) in addition to the above constituent elements. For example,
the mobile terminal 20 may further include common elements such as a camera module,
a DMB module, a GPS module, an image or voice processor, a power supply unit, a vibration
motor, a speaker, a microphone, a main board, etc. Also, all the constituent elements
are not essential elements. The mobile terminal 20 may be embodied by more or less
number of elements than the illustrated elements. For example, when the mobile terminal
20 is a tablet PC for a wireless internet use only, the mobile communication module
260 may be omitted.
[0078] The NFC module 210 performs NFC and may include an antenna (not illustrated) and
an NFC chipset. The NFC chipset includes circuit elements to operate in the reader/writer
mode 301, the P2P model 302, or the card emulation mode 303. When the NFC tag 30 is
located within a coverage of an RF field in the reader/writer mode 301 (hereinafter,
referred to as the NFC tagging), the NFC module 210 reads out tag information written
to the NFC tag 30 (read mode) or writes or modifies predetermined information with
respect to the NFC tag 30 (write mode). Also, when approaching the image forming apparatus
10 of FIG. 3A including the NFC chipset, the NFC module 210 may operate in the P2P
mode 302 to perform bidirectional data communication. When operating in the card emulation
mode 303, the NFC module 210 may operate similar to the NFC tag 30 of an active or
passive type.
[0079] A read mode operation of the reader/writer mode 301 of the NFC module 210 according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept is described below.
The NFC module 210 obtains tag information of the NFC tag 30 through NFC tagging.
The tag information of the NFC tag 30 includes information about the image forming
apparatus 10. The tag information may include at least one of a first field including
an application identifier, a second field including application installation information,
a third field including a device identifier, a fourth field including a wireless connection
authentication code, and a fifth field including a device model name. These fields
are described below with reference to FIG. 8.
[0080] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a data structure 80 of the NFC tag 30 according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The data structure
80 of the tag information written to the NFC tag 30 may vary according to the platform
of the NFC tag 30. The number assigned to each field is used not to signify an order
of written fields in the data structure 80, but only to distinguish the respective
fields for the purposes of explanation. Also, one field may be divided into a plurality
of sub-fields, or reversely one field may be formed by combining many fields. FIG.
8 illustrates at least a part of tag information written to the NFC tag 30, which
is referred to herein as "tag information" for convenience of explanation. It will
be understood, however, that the information included in the NFC tag 30 may include
additional information beyond the fields illustrated in FIG. 8 and described herein.
[0081] Referring to FIG. 8, the data structure 80 of tag information includes a device type
310, an application type 340, DeviceName 350, MACAddress 360, and EncryptedPIN 370.
The first field including an application identifier, and the second field including
application installation information are located in the application type 340. The
third field including a device identifier is located in the MACAddress 360. The fourth
field including a wireless connection authentication code is located in the EncryptedPIN
370. The fifth field including a device model name is included in the DeviceName 350.
A sixth field including device capability information of the image forming apparatus
10 may be located in the device type 310. The device capability information may include,
for example, "Print Capability: Color, Mono", "Scan Capability: 300,600 DPI", "FAX
Capability: 33.6K bps", etc. A seventh field including information such as a wireless
connection type of the image forming apparatus 10, for example, information about
a Wi-Fi/ Wi-Fi-Direct interface, may include a connectivity type 330. In addition,
the data structure 80 may include additional fields, such as a Data Type field 320,
and/or fields including a serial number or IP address of an image forming apparatus
(not illustrated).
[0082] According to the platform of Android mobile operating system (OS), the application
identifier in the first field may be for example "App ID: application/vnd.samsung.mobilePrint",
the application installation information in the second field may be for example "Type
Information: android.com:pkg // Package Name: com.sec.print.mobileprint", but the
present general inventive concept is not limited thereto. The device identifier in
the third field may be a MAC address of the image forming apparatus 10 and the wireless
connection authentication code in the fourth field may be an encrypted authentication
code (PIN) for Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi-Direct connection. The device model name in the fifth field
may be a model number assigned by a manufacturer of the image forming apparatus 10.
[0083] The information about the data structure 80 of the tag information of FIG. 8 may
be previously stored in the mobile terminal 20. For example, a mobile application
2502 stored in the storage unit 250 may include a tag manager 511 (illustrated in
FIG. 5). The tag manager 511 may previously store the information about the data structure
880. The tag manager 511 parses or writes tag information referring to the data structure
80 stored in a read mode or a write mode.
[0084] Returning to FIG. 4, the NFC module 210 may be switched from the read mode to the
write mode according to a request of the control unit 240. When the NFC tag 30 is
detected through an NFC tagging operating in the write mode, the NFC module 210 writes
or modifies tag information with respect to the NFC tag 30 according to the control
of the control unit 240. The tag information is written to the NFC tag 30 referring
to information about the data structure 80. The operations of the NFC module 210 in
the read mode and the write mode will be described in detail later.
[0085] The wireless communication module 220 establishes a wireless connection with the
image forming apparatus 10 and exchanges with the image forming apparatus 10 data
needed to form an image that will be described later. Wireless connection signaling
and response signaling between the wireless communication module 220 and the image
forming apparatus 10 will be described below. The wireless connection may be Wi-Fi
or Wi-Fi-direct, but the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.
Unless specified otherwise, the term "Wi-Fi" as used herein is interpreted to include
Wi-Fi-direct.
[0086] First, in a Wi-Fi-direct connection process between the wireless communication module
220 and the image forming apparatus 10, the wireless communication module 220 discovers
candidate devices (not illustrated) capable of Wi-Fi-direct connection. The wireless
communication module 220 collects information such as a MAC address, a device type,
service set identifier (SSID), etc., of the candidate devices through a probe request
and a probe response that are wireless LAN packets.
[0087] The wireless communication module 220 tries Wi-Fi-direct connection with the image
forming apparatus 10 that is selected among the candidate devices, at the request
of the control unit 240. A group formation process and an authentication process for
a secure connection are performed between the wireless communication module 220 and
the image forming apparatus 10. The group formation signifies to determine that a
certain device becomes a group owner (GO) or a certain device becomes a client. The
devices belong to a formed group and are securely connected to each other, and a technology
used therefore is Wi-Fi protected setup (WPS). The WPS technology is divided into
a personal identification number (PIN) method and a push button configuration (PBC)
method. The PIN method uses a preset PIN code for authentication. The PBC method performs
authentication by pressing a hardware or soft button provided in a GO device. When
authentication is successful, the image forming apparatus 10 that is GO assigns an
internet protocol (IP) address to the mobile terminal 20.
[0088] The wireless communication module 220 requests device capability information by transmitting
a get device capability message to the image forming apparatus 10 at an IP address
assigned by the image forming apparatus 10. The wireless communication module 220
receives information such as equipment of a print/scan/fax function, possibility of
color/mono printing, PCL language in use, duplex/simplex printing, etc. from the image
forming apparatus 10, but the present general inventive concept is not limited thereto.
Accordingly, the Wi-Fi-direct connection between the image forming apparatus 10 and
the mobile terminal 20 is established through the above processes.
[0089] For Wi-Fi connection, not Wi-Fi-direct, the wireless communication module 220 may
belong to the same infra network with the image forming apparatus 10 through AP (802.11
b/g/n). The image forming apparatus 10 may permit access for devices existing in the
same infra network, a device having a particular IP, a device having a particular
MAC, or a device having an account in the image forming apparatus 10. When the wireless
communication module 220 requests data transmission to an IP address of the image
forming apparatus 10 from an AP, the AP relays the data transmission to the image
forming apparatus 10 by referring to an ARP table.
[0090] According to the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
the wireless connection process between the mobile terminal 20 and the may be automated
by using the tag information of the NFC tag 30. In a state in which the connection
between the mobile terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus 10 is not established,
as the mobile terminal 20 performs NFC tagging with the NFC tag 30 (read mode), the
wireless communication module 220 discovers candidate devices at the request of the
control unit 240. The wireless communication module 220 automatically selects the
image forming apparatus 10 among the candidate devices through a value of the third
field (device identifier) of the tag information. when the device identifier is a
MAC address, the wireless communication module 220 establishes a wireless connection
with the image forming apparatus 10 having the MAC address obtained from the NFC tag
30 among the discovered candidate devices. In particular, the wireless communication
module 220 automatically performs authentication by transmitting a value of the fourth
field (authentication code) of the tag information to the image forming apparatus
10 so that a wireless connection may be established without inputting a PIN value
to the mobile terminal 20 or pressing a WPS button (not illustrated) of the image
forming apparatus 10.
[0091] The wireless communication module 220 may transmit data of a job to be done by the
image forming apparatus 10 or receive a result of a finished job from the image forming
apparatus 10. The data of a job may be, for example, a print command of the PCL language
and print data of the PDL language. Also, the data of a job may be a scan command
or a fax command. The result of a finished job may signify data, for example, a scanned
document, a fax transmission result, etc. However, the present general inventive concept
is not limited thereto.
[0092] The wireless communication module 220 may set the image forming apparatus 10 by transceiving
firmware (FW) update data of the image forming apparatus 10 or accessing a webpage
provided by the image forming apparatus 10 itself.
[0093] The mobile communication module 260 may communicate data needed for mobile communication
by connecting to a circuit switched network and a packet switched network and may
download a predetermined application through the packet switched network.
[0094] The user interface unit 230 may be a touch screen to display information processed
by the mobile terminal 20 and receiving a user input. The user interface unit 230
may be configured diversely according to a product, for example, simply in a form
of 2 or 4 lines on a display such as an LCD or LED display or by a graphic user interface
(GUI) to enable various graphical presentations. The user interface unit 230 may include
a touch sensor (not illustrated) to detect a user's gestures, specifically a user's
touch. The user interface unit 230 may be embodied by a tactile sensor or a proximity
sensor as a sensor to detect a touch. A tactile sensor signifies a sensor to detect
a contact of a particular object with sensitivity equal to or greater than a human's
ability to detect a touch. The tactile sensor may detect various pieces of information
such as a roughness of a contact surface, a rigidness of a contact object, a temperature
of a contact position, etc. A proximity sensor signifies a sensor that detects an
object approaching a predetermined detection surface or existence of an object existing
in the vicinity by using a force of an electromagnetic field or using an infrared
ray. The proximity sensor may include, for example, a transmissive photoelectric sensor,
a direct reflective photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflective photoelectric sensor,
a high frequency oscillating proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, a magnetic
proximity sensor, an infrared proximity sensor, etc.
[0095] The user interface unit 230 may also be embodied by a key pad, a dome switch, a jog
wheel, a jog switch, a H/W button, etc. (not illustrated).
[0096] The storage unit 250 may store a program, such as a mobile OS 2501, to process and
control the control unit 240 and perform a function to store input/output data. The
control unit 240 may control the mobile terminal 20 by executing the mobile OS 2501.
Also, a mobile printing application (hereinafter, referred to as the mobile application
2502) to use functions of printing, scanning, faxing, etc. of the image forming apparatus
10 may be stored in the storage unit 250. The mobile application 2502 may perform
an image forming job such as printing, scanning, faxing, etc. in engagement with the
image forming apparatus 10. When the mobile application 2502 is not installed, the
mobile application 2502 may be automatically installed through NFC tagging that will
be described later.
[0097] The storage unit 250 may include at least one type of storage media such as a flash
memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory, for
example, an SD or XD memory, random access memory (RAM), static random access memory
(SRAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
(EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disc,
and an optical disc. The mobile terminal 20 may operate a web storage performing a
storage function of the storage unit 250.
[0098] The control unit 240 typically controls the overall operation of the mobile terminal
20. For example, the control unit 240 performs controls and processes related to content
capturing, voice call, data communication, video call, etc. The control unit 240 controls
the NFC module 210, the wireless communication module 220, the mobile communication
module 260, the user interface unit 230, and the storage unit 250 by executing the
mobile OS 2501 and the mobile application 2502 stored in the storage unit 250. A detailed
operation of the control unit 240 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.
[0099] FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a plurality of software blocks 50 of the mobile
terminal 20 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept. In FIG. 5, the software blocks 50 is functionally divided for convenience
of explanation and may not necessarily form an independent program code unit. The
software blocks 50 are stored in the storage unit 250 and processed according to a
call of the control unit 240. Accordingly, the operation of each of the software blocks
50 may be understood as the operation of the control unit 240 even when there is no
special description thereof.
[0100] Referring to FIG. 5, the mobile OS 2501 includes an application installer 501, an
application execution unit 502, an embedded application 504, and an application programming
interface (API) 503. When the mobile application 2502 is not installed, the application
installer 501 executes an installation file of the mobile application 2502 to install
the mobile application 2502 on the mobile terminal 20. Although the application installer
501 may be regarded as a sort of the embedded application 504, the application installer
501 is separately illustrated to prevent any confusion.
[0101] The application execution unit 502 executes the embedded application 504 or the mobile
application 2502 according to the request of the mobile OS 2501 or the operation of
the mobile terminal 20 by a user. The API 503 refers to a set of functions to interface
with and operate the embedded application 504 or the mobile application 2502 on the
mobile OS 2501. The API 503 may include an API for Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi-direct for NFC.
[0102] The embedded application 504 is a basic application that the mobile OS 2501 supports
and may include, for example, a clock, a web browser, an address book, a camera, a
file searcher, a document/image viewer, a music/moving picture player, voice/video
calling software, etc. The embedded application 504 may include an application supporting
an NFC function. In the following description, the embedded application 504 is assumed
to be a predetermined application supporting the NFC function operating in the background
in the mobile terminal 20.
[0103] The embedded application 504 operates the NFC module 210 in a read mode and reads
out tag information of the NFC tag 30 through NFC tagging. The read tag information
includes the value of the first field (application identifier) and the value of the
second field (application installation information) as described above with reference
to FIG. 8. The embedded application 504 provides the tag information read by the NFC
module 210 to the mobile OS 2501 via the API 503.
[0104] The mobile OS 2501 determines whether an application corresponding to the value of
the first field (application identifier) of the read tag information is installed
on the mobile terminal 20. For example, the mobile OS 2501 may determine whether an
application "samsung.mobilePrint" in "App ID: application/vnd.samsung.mobilePrint"
is installed on the mobile terminal 20. If it is determined that an application corresponding
to the "samsung.mobilePrint" is installed, the mobile OS 2501 executes a corresponding
application through the application execution unit 502.
[0105] It is assumed that the application corresponding to the value of the first field
(application identifier) is the mobile application 2502 and the mobile application
2502 is not yet installed on the mobile terminal 20.
[0106] In the process of installing the mobile application 2502 through the application
installer 501 by the mobile OS 2501, the application installer 501 accesses a download
page of the mobile application 2502 via the mobile communication module 260 or the
wireless communication module 220. In doing so, if a user does not know the address
of the download page, the user needs to discover the address of the download page.
According to the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
however, the application installer 501 may access the download page by using the value
second field (application installation information), for example, "Type Information:
android.com:pkg // Package Name: com.sec.print.mobileprint", of the tag information.
The application installer 501 downloads an installation file of the mobile application
2502 via the mobile communication module 260 or the wireless communication module
220. When the download is completed, the installation file is executed to install
the mobile application 2502.
[0107] The mobile application 2502 includes a UI forming unit 506, a print agent 507, a
scan agent 508, a fax agent 509, a multifunctional peripheral (MFP) manager 505, the
tag manager 511, a rendering engine 512, a FW management unit 521, a PIN management
unit 522, and an event controller 510. The blocks indicated by a dotted line may be
omitted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
In particular, a manager package 52 may not be provided to general users. The manager
package 52 may exist as a hidden function in the mobile application 2502 and may operate
only in a manager mode. Similarly, the tag manager 511 may support only an NFC read
mode for general users and may support an NFC tag write mode only in the manager mode.
[0108] The MFP manager 505 deals with the wireless connection and data communication with
the image forming apparatus 10 through the wireless communication module 220. Also,
the MFP manager 505 obtains status information of the image forming apparatus 10,
for example, information about consumable supplies of the image forming apparatus
10, a state of a registered print job, normal operation/malfunction information, etc.
When the mobile application 2502 is executed, the UI forming unit 506 forms an initial
page that is initially displayed by the mobile application 2502 based on the information
provided by the MFP manager 505. As illustrated in FIG. 15, a disconnected page 1505
is an initial page when the mobile application 2052 is executed in a state in which
a wireless connection is not established with the image forming apparatus 10 and a
connected page 1510 is an initial page when the mobile application 2052 is executed
in a state in which a wireless connection is established with the image forming apparatus
10.
[0109] The print agent 507 provides a print function of the image forming apparatus 10 to
the mobile terminal 20. The print agent 507 outputs a print job page to the mobile
terminal 20 so that the mobile terminal 20 may use a print function of the image forming
apparatus 10. A target content to be printed may be selected through the print job
page and the selected content may be displayed in the print job page. The print job
page may include a menu to set print details such as the number of print pages, double-sided/single-sided
print, color/mono, a magnification ratio, and a paper size. The print agent 507 generates
print job data according to the request of the event controller 510.
[0110] The rendering engine 512 renders a target content to be printed. In another exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the rendering engine 512 may
be omitted and the original file of the target content to be printed may be provided
to the image forming apparatus 10. In another exemplary embodiment, the mobile OS
2501 may include the rendering engine 512 and the mobile OS 2501 may provide a Print
API to use the rendering engine 512 to the mobile application 2502.
[0111] The scan agent 508 and the fax agent 509 respectively provide a scan function and
a fax function of the image forming apparatus 10 to the mobile terminal 20. The scan
agent 508 and the fax agent 509 respectively output a scan job page and a fax job
page so that the mobile terminal 20 may use the scan function and the fax function
of the image forming apparatus 10. The scan job page and the fax job page may respectively
include menus to set details of scanning and faxing. The scan agent 508 and the fax
agent 509 respectively generate scan and fax job data according to the request of
the event controller 510.
[0112] The UI forming unit 506 forms a GUI of the mobile application 2502. The UI forming
unit 506 may form a GUI according to the model name or device capability of the image
forming apparatus 10 that is wirelessly connected to the mobile terminal 20. For example,
the UI forming unit 506 may form an image of the image forming apparatus 10 displayed
on the connected page 1510 illustrated in FIG. 15 with an image corresponding to the
model name of a device. Also, the UI forming unit 506 may form a GUI so as to activate
only functions that the image forming apparatus 10 supports, among the menu items
of "Home", "Print", "Scan", and "Fax".
[0113] The tag manager 511 writes tag information to the NFC tag 30 (write mode) or reads
out tag information from the NFC tag 30 (read mode), via the NFC module 210. Before
the execution of the mobile application 2502, the embedded application 504 calls an
NFC API. After the mobile application 2502 is executed, the tag manager 511 calls
the NFC API. Accordingly, when the mobile application 2502 is executed, a control
right of the NFC module 210 passes from the embedded application 504 to the mobile
application 2502.
[0114] Whether the tag manager 511 operates in a write mode or read mode may be determined
according to a user's selection. For example, when a write button 1401b illustrated
in FIG. 14C is selected, the tag manager 511 may operate in a write mode. The write
button 1401b may be provided only in a manager mode not in a general user mode of
the mobile application 2502.
[0115] The FW management unit 521 obtains FW information of the image forming apparatus
10 through the wireless communication module 220 and determines whether FW update
is needed. The FW management unit 521 accesses a FW providing server 70 (detailed
below with reference to FIG. 7) via the wireless communication module 220 or the mobile
communication module 260, provides at least one of the model name and the MAC address
of the image forming apparatus 10, and requests FW update data. When the FW update
data of the image forming apparatus 10 is received from the FW providing server 70,
the FW of the image forming apparatus 10 is updated via the wireless communication
module 220.
[0116] The PIN management unit 522 manages an authentication code for a wireless connection
with the image forming apparatus 10. In a read mode, the value of the fourth field
(authentication code) of tag information of the NFC tag 30 may be encrypted. The PIN
management unit 522 may decode the encrypted authentication code.
[0117] In a write mode, a new authentication code input by a user is written to the NFC
tag 30. The PIN management unit 522 may prove validation of data, that is, whether
a value of the new authentication code input by a user has a valid format. For example,
a new authentication code is proven by using a parity bit included in the input authentication
code. Also, the PIN management unit 522 encrypts a new authentication code when the
new authentication code is written to the NFC tag 30.
[0118] When the FW providing server 70 creates or manages an authentication code of the
image forming apparatus 10, the PIN management unit 522 may obtain an authentication
code of the image forming apparatus 10 from the FW providing server 70. Also, in another
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, when an authentication
code is included in the FW update data, the PIN management unit 522 may extract the
authentication code.
[0119] The event controller 510 controls the overall operation of the mobile application
2502. The event controller 510 processes interrupts, NFC tagging, and user inputs
occurring during the execution of the mobile application 2502 and generates a predetermined
event according to a result of the process.
[0120] The event controller 510 may generate other events according to a current state of
the mobile application 2502 when there is NFC tagging with the NFC tag 30 in a read
mode. As used herein, "the state of the mobile application 2502" may signify a state
of a GUI displaying the initial page, the print job page, the scan job page, or the
fax job page. The event controller 510 may identify a page displayed during NFC tagging
and execute an event mapped on the identified page. Also, the event controller 510
may determine whether the NFC tag 30 detected through NFC tagging is a tag of the
image forming apparatus 10 connected to the mobile terminal 20. The tag of the image
forming apparatus 10 may be physically separated from the image forming apparatus
10, but information about the image forming apparatus 10 is written, or will be written,
to the tag so that the tag may support an image forming job between the mobile terminal
20 and the image forming apparatus 10.
[0121] Referring to FIG. 12, a list 1200 of events according to NFC tagging is provided.
When a print job page is displayed during NFC tagging, the event controller 510 commands
the rendering engine 512 to render a target content to be printed that is selected
from the print job page and the print agent 507 to generate print job data including
the rendered content and a print command. The event controller 510 transmits the generated
print job data to the image forming apparatus 10 via the wireless communication module
220. Likewise, the event controller 510 may control the scan agent 508 and the fax
agent 509 to generate scan job data or fax job data according to the page displayed
during NFC tagging.
[0122] The event controller 510 establishes a wireless connection with the image forming
apparatus 10 by using the obtained tag information when the disconnected page 1505
is displayed during NFC tagging in a read mode as illustrated in FIG. 15. Next, the
event controller 510 obtains status information of the image forming apparatus 10
through the wireless connection to display the connected page 1510 illustrated in
FIG. 15. The event controller 510 updates the displayed status information of the
image forming apparatus 10 when the connected page 1510 is displayed during NFC tagging.
[0123] In the above description, the basic operation of the hardware elements and software
blocks 50 of the mobile terminal 20 according to the present exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept are described. In the following description,
the operation of the mobile terminal 20 will be described in detail through the image
forming method or the method of writing the NFC tag 30. In the descriptions of the
methods, even when hardware elements and software blocks 50 are not described for
each operation, one of ordinary skill in the art may understand from the above description
which hardware element and/or which software block of the mobile terminal 20 is used
for a corresponding operation.
[0124] FIG. 9 is a flowchart describing an image forming method according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The above descriptions may be
referred to for the present exemplary embodiment.
[0125] First, the mobile terminal 20 executes the mobile application 2502 corresponding
to the value of the first field (application identifier) of the tag information of
the NFC tag 30 obtained through first NFC tagging (operation 910). In other words,
since the NFC module 210 of the mobile terminal 20 operates in a read mode, the tag
information of the NFC tag 30 is obtained through the first NFC tagging. The control
unit 240 executes the mobile application 2502 corresponding to the value of the first
field (application identifier) of the tag information.
[0126] When the NFC tag 30 is detected again through second NFC tagging, the mobile terminal
20 generates data of a job to be performed by the image forming apparatus 10 through
the mobile application 2502 (operation 915). In other words, since the NFC module
210 of the mobile terminal 20 continuously operates in a read mode, the same tag information
is obtained again through the second NFC tagging. The job to be done may be determined
according to a state of the mobile application 2502 during the second NFC tagging.
[0127] The mobile terminal 20 transmits data of a generated job to the image forming apparatus
10 (operation 920). The image forming apparatus 10 performs an image forming job such
as printing, faxing, scanning, etc. according to data of a received job.
[0128] FIG. 10 is a flowchart describing an image forming method according to another exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The above descriptions may be
referred to for the present exemplary embodiment.
[0129] The mobile terminal 20 obtains tag information of the NFC tag 30 through the first
NFC tagging in a read mode (operation 1000). In operation 1000, it is assumed that
the embedded application 504 is operated in the background on the mobile terminal
20 and the mobile application 2502 is not yet executed. The control unit 240 executes
the embedded application 504 to obtain the tag information of the NFC tag 30 from
the NFC module 210.
[0130] The mobile terminal 20 determines whether an application corresponding to the value
of the first field (application identifier) of the tag information exists in the mobile
terminal 20 (operation 1005). To perform this operation, the mobile terminal 20 first
may parse the tag information. Referring to the data structure 80 illustrated in FIG.
8, the mobile terminal 20 may identify which area of the parsed tag information corresponds
to the value of the first field (application identifier). According to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the mobile terminal 20 may extract
the value of the first field (application identifier) by identifying the size and
position of the first field with reference to the data structure 80. Also, according
to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the value
of the first field (application identifier) may be extracted by using a field name
"APP ID" to identify a field. Other field values may be extracted from the tag information
in a similar method to the value of the first field (application identifier).
[0131] The control unit 240 of the mobile terminal 20 determines whether there is an application
corresponding to the value of the first field (application identifier), for example
"samsung.mobilePrint", among the applications existing in the storing unit 250. The
control unit 240 may perform the determination referring to an application list kept
by the mobile OS 2501.
[0132] If it is determined that the application corresponding to the value of the first
field (application identifier) does not exist in the mobile terminal 20 (operation
1005-N), the mobile terminal 20 installs the mobile application 2502 by using the
value of the second field (application installation information) of the tag information
(operation 1035).
[0133] The installation process of the mobile application 2502 will be described below with
reference to FIG. 11. The above descriptions may be referred to for the present exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
[0134] When it is determined that there is no application corresponding to the value of
the first field (application identifier) of the tag information (operation 1005-N),
the control unit 240 executes the application installer 501 of the mobile application
2502 through the mobile OS 2501 (operation 1100). The control unit 240 may execute
the application installer 501 and simultaneously provide the value of the second field
(application installation information) to the application installer 501.
[0135] The mobile terminal 20 accesses the download page of the mobile application 2502
by using the value of the second field (application installation information) (operation
1105). The control unit 240 operates the wireless communication module 220 or the
mobile communication module 260 through the application installer 501. When wireless
Internet is available through the wireless communication module 220, the wireless
communication module 220 may be primarily operated over the mobile communication module
260. Since the application installer 501 can directly access the download page of
an application by using the value of the second field (application installation information),
for example, "Type Information: android.com:pkg // Package Name: com.sec.print.mobileprint",
a user does not need to separately discover the mobile application 2502. The download
page may provide general information about the mobile application 2502 and may include
an installation button.
[0136] The mobile terminal 20 downloads an installation file of the mobile application 2502
(operation 1110). When a user selects an installation button on the download page,
the control unit 240 controls the wireless communication module 220 or the mobile
communication module 260 to download the installation file of the mobile application
2502 by using the application installer 501.
[0137] The mobile terminal 20 executes the installation file of the mobile application 2502
(operation 1115). In other words, the control unit 240 executes the installation file
of the mobile application 2502 to install the mobile application 2502 on the storage
unit 250.
[0138] Referring back to FIG. 10, when the installation of the mobile application 2502 is
completed, the mobile terminal 20 executes the mobile application 2502 (operation
1040).
[0139] If instead it is determined in operation 1005 that an application corresponding to
the value of the first field (application identifier) of the tag information exists
(operation 1005-Y), the mobile terminal 20 determines whether the application corresponding
to the value of the first field (application identifier) is being executed (operation
1010).
[0140] If the application corresponding to the value of the first field (application identifier)
is not being executed (operation 1010-N), the mobile terminal 20 executes the mobile
application 2502 corresponding to the value of the first field (application identifier)
(operation 1040). For example, the control unit 240 executes the mobile application
2502 having the application identifier "samsung.mobilePrint" through the application
execution unit 502.
[0141] Following operation 1040, or if it is determined that the application corresponding
to the value of the first field is being executed (operation 1010-Y), the mobile terminal
20 determines whether the wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10
corresponding to the value of the third field (device identifier) of the tag information
is established (operation 1015). The establishment of a wireless connection with the
image forming apparatus 10 may not require the execution of the mobile application
2502. For example, the mobile terminal 20 may establish a wireless connection with
the image forming apparatus 10 through the mobile OS 2501 in a state in which the
mobile application 2502 is not being executed.
[0142] The control unit 240 determines whether the wireless communication module 220 is
wirelessly connected to another device. If the wireless communication module 220 is
wirelessly connected to another device, the control unit 240 may determine whether
a wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10 is established, by comparing
the MAC or IP address of the wirelessly connected device with the value of the third
field (device identifier) of the tag information.
[0143] If it is determined in operation 1015 that the wireless connection with the image
forming apparatus 10 corresponding to the value of the third field (device identifier)
of the tag information is not established (operation 1015-N), the mobile terminal
20 establishes a wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10 (operation
1045). According to this exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
when there is the first NFC tagging, a wireless connection is established in operation
1045 after the mobile application 2502 is executed in operation 1040. Alternatively,
when there is the first NFC tagging, the wireless connection with the image forming
apparatus 10 may be first established and then the mobile application 2502 may be
executed. Also, the wireless connection establishment process and the execution of
the mobile application 2502 may be simultaneously performed. These modified exemplary
embodiments may be interpreted to be equivalent to the exemplary embodiment of the
present general inventive concept illustrated in FIG. 10.
[0144] FIG. 13 is a flowchart describing a process of establishing a wireless connection
between the mobile terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus 10, according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The wireless connection
establishment process of FIG. 13 may be referred to in order to understand operation
1045 of FIG. 10. However, the wireless connection establishment process of FIG. 13
is not necessarily dependent on the exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept illustrated in FIG. 10. The wireless connection establishment process of FIG.
13 may be performed independently of the exemplary embodiment of the present general
inventive concept illustrated in FIG. 10. The above descriptions may be referred to
for the present exemplary embodiment.
[0145] Referring to FIG. 13, the mobile terminal 20 identifies wireless connection signaling
of the image forming apparatus 10 or an AP connected to the image forming apparatus
10 by using the value of the third field (device identifier) of the tag information
(operation 1315). The mobile terminal 20 performs device discovery and receives a
signal that the image forming apparatus 10 transmits. The image forming apparatus
10 may be identified among candidate devices in an environment where a plurality of
Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi-direct devices exist. According to a conventional method, the mobile
terminal 20 summarizes and displays information collected from the candidate devices,
such as an IP address, a MAC address, or a device model name for each candidate device.
Next, when a user selects any one candidate device, the mobile terminal 20 tries to
establish a wireless connection with the selected candidate device.
[0146] According to the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
the mobile terminal 20 may identify the image forming apparatus 10 from the other
candidate devices by using the value of the third field (device identifier) of the
tag information. For example, for a Wi-Fi-direct connection, the wireless connection
signaling of the image forming apparatus 10 may be identified by selecting a candidate
device having a MAC address obtained from the NFC tag 30. When the value of the third
field (device identifier) is a MAC address or an IP address, the mobile terminal 20
may identify a Wi-Fi-direct signal transmitted by the image forming apparatus 10 having
the same MAC address as the value of the third field (device identifier), among the
discovered Wi-Fi-direct candidate devices. For a Wi-Fi connection, not the Wi-Fi-direct
connection, the mobile terminal 20 may having a Wi-Fi connection with the image forming
apparatus 10 via an AP (802.11 b/g/n) by using the value of the third field (device
identifier) among Wi-Fi candidate devices connected to the AP (802.11 b/g/n). The
mobile terminal 20 may obtain information about a MAC address or an IP address of
the candidate devices from the AP (802.11 b/g/n) and may identify whether the image
forming apparatus 10 having the same MAC address or IP address as the value of the
third field (device identifier) exists in the AP (802.11 b/g/n).
[0147] The mobile terminal 20 may identify signaling of the image forming apparatus 10 or
the AP (802.11 b/g/n) by using the value of the fifth field (device model name) with
the value of the third field (device identifier) of the tag information. The mobile
terminal 20 performs response signaling to the identified wireless connection signaling
(operation 1320). In other words, the control unit 240 of the mobile terminal 20 performs
response signaling through the wireless communication module 220. The mobile terminal
20 may perform authentication needed for the wireless connection with the image forming
apparatus 10 through the response signaling. The mobile terminal 20 performs WPS authentication
with the image forming apparatus 10 by transmitting the value of the fourth field
(authentication code) of the tag information to the image forming apparatus 10. The
image forming apparatus 10 performs WPS authentication by comparing the PIN value
set in FW of the image forming apparatus 10 with the authentication code received
from the mobile terminal 20.
[0148] Accordingly, even when a user does not directly input the PIN or press the WPS button
of the image forming apparatus 10, the authentication needed for the wireless connection
with the image forming apparatus 10 may be automatically performed. The fourth field
(authentication code) may be encrypted in a predetermined method. The mobile terminal
20 may decode the encrypted authentication code. For the Wi-Fi connection, not the
Wi-Fi-direct connection, authentication with AP (802.11 b/g/n) may be performed for
the wireless connection to the AP (802.11 b/g/n).
[0149] The mobile terminal 20 determines whether the authentication using the fourth field
(authentication code) is successful by receiving an authentication success message
or authentication failure message (operation 1325). When authentication is successful
(operation 1325-Y), IP address information for the Wi-Fi-direct connection from the
image forming apparatus 10 is obtained (operation 1330). For the Wi-Fi connection,
not the Wi-Fi-direct connection, the AP (802.11 b/g/n) assigns an IP address to the
mobile terminal 20.
[0150] The mobile terminal 20 obtains device capability information of the image forming
apparatus 10 by using the obtained IP address information (operation 1340). The control
unit 240 of the mobile terminal 20 transmits a message "get device capability" requesting
information about the device capability through the obtained IP address. Next, the
mobile terminal 20 obtains the device capability information as a response message,
for example, equipment of print/scan/fax functions, possibility of color/mono printing,
PCL language in use, duplex/simplex printing, etc., but the present general inventive
concept is not limited thereto. Next, the mobile terminal 20 completes the establishment
of a wireless connection (operation 1345).
[0151] In operation 1325, if the wireless connection authentication through the value of
the third field (device identifier) of the tag information fails (operation 1325-N),
the mobile terminal 20 outputs a dialog to receive an input of a new authentication
code (operation 1350). In other words, the control unit 240 displays a dialog to receive
an input of a new authentication code on the user interface unit 230. For example,
a dialog 1501a is displayed on a GUI 150a as illustrated in FIG. 14A. The mobile terminal
20 receives an input of a new authentication code through the dialog 1501a. A method
of obtaining a new authentication code by a user includes a variety of exemplary embodiments
of the present general inventive concept, for example, a method of obtaining a new
authentication code from the image forming apparatus 10, a method of obtaining a new
authentication code from the FW providing server 70, etc., which will be described
in detail later.
[0152] In the operation of outputting the dialog 1501a, the dialog 1501a may be output only
when the mobile application 2502 operates in a manager mode. For example, only an
authentication failure message may be output in the mobile application 2502 for general
users.
[0153] The mobile terminal 20 proves validity of data of a newly input authentication code
(operation 1355). An authentication code may be created according to a particular
rule. To determine whether the rule is satisfied, for example, the last bit of an
authentication code may be a parity code. Accordingly, the mobile terminal 20 may
determine whether a new authentication code input by a user satisfies a predetermined
creation rule, by using the parity bit included in the authentication code. The control
unit 240 may prove validity of data of a new authentication code through the PIN management
unit 522.
[0154] The mobile terminal 20 returns to operation 1350 if the newly input authentication
code has no data validity (operation 1355-N). A message to indicate that there is
an error in the format of an authentication code may be displayed.
[0155] If the new authentication code is proven to be valid (operation 1355-Y), the mobile
terminal 20 transmits the new authentication codes to the image forming apparatus
10 and performs again wireless connection authentication (operation 1360). For the
Wi-Fi connection, not the Wi-Fi-direct connection, one of ordinary skill in the art
may understand that authentication is performed with the AP (802.11 b/g/n).
[0156] If the authentication for a wireless connection fails (operation 1365-N), the mobile
terminal 20 returns to operation 1350. If the authentication for a wireless connection
is successful (operation 1365-Y), the mobile terminal 20 goes to the above-described
operation 1330. In doing so, the mobile terminal 20 may write a successful authentication
code to the NFC tag 30. For example, a dialog 1551a may be displayed on a GUI 155a
of FIG. 14B. In other words, the dialog 1551a to receive an input of whether to write
a correct authentication code value to the NFC tag 30 may be displayed (operation
1335).
[0157] If the user selects "Cancel" in the dialog 1551a (operation 1335-N), the mobile terminal
20 may continuously maintain a read mode without being switched to a write mode. If
the user selects "OK" in the dialog 1551a (operation 1335-Y), the mobile terminal
20 is switched from the read mode to the write mode (operation 1370). In the present
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the mobile terminal
20 is switched to the write mode according to an input value. In another exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the mobile terminal 20 may be
instantly switched to the write mode without displaying the dialog 1551a.
[0158] In other words, when receiving an authentication success message through the wireless
communication module 220, the control unit 240 of the mobile terminal 20 switches
the operation mode of the NFC module 210 from the read mode to the write mode through
the tag manager 511. When being switched to the write mode and prepared to write to
the NFC tag 30, the mobile terminal 20 may output a GUI 160a of FIG. 14B to guide
NFC tagging.
[0159] When the mobile terminal 20 is detected through third NFC tagging, the mobile terminal
20 writes a new authentication code at a position of the NFC tag 30 where the value
of the fourth field (authentication code) is written (operation 1375). In other words,
the control unit 240 of the mobile terminal 20 referring to the data structure 80
identifies at which position of the NFC tag 30 the fourth field is written and writes
a correct authentication code at the identified position through the NFC module 210.
[0160] According to the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
the mobile terminal 20 may determine whether the detected NFC tag 30 is the tag of
the image forming apparatus 10 through the third NFC tagging. The method of determining
whether it is the tag of the image forming apparatus 10 will be described later.
[0161] If the NFC tag 30 detected through the third NFC tagging is determined to be the
tag of the image forming apparatus 10, the mobile terminal 20 may write the new authentication
code to the NFC tag 30. Otherwise, the mobile terminal 20 may not perform the writing.
[0162] FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate GUIs of the mobile terminal 20 when the value of the
fourth field (authentication code) of the NFC tag 30 is corrected. First, a user executes
the mobile application 2502 on the mobile terminal 20. The print job page of the mobile
application 2502 is the same as a GUI 140a.
[0163] When the NFC tag 30 is detected through the NFC tagging, the mobile terminal 20 transmits
the value of the fourth field (authentication code) of the tag information to the
image forming apparatus 10 in order to establish a wireless connection with the image
forming apparatus 10. A GUI 145a indicates a state in which the mobile terminal 20
tries a wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10, and informs the user
of its progress with a dialog 1451a.
[0164] If the mobile terminal 20 fails to authenticate the wireless connection, the dialog
1501a of FIG. 14B is output to receive an input of a new authentication code. If a
user desires to write a new authentication code value, the user selects the OK button
on the dialog 1551a. When the OK button is selected, the mobile terminal 20 is switched
to the write mode and outputs the GUI 160a to guide NFC tagging to the user.
[0165] Referring back to FIG. 10, when the establishment of a wireless connection with the
image forming apparatus 10 is completed through operation 1045, the control unit 240
of the mobile terminal 20 maintains the NFC module 210 in the read mode. When the
connection between the mobile terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus 10 is completed,
the connected page 1510 illustrated in FIG. 15 may be output. An image corresponding
to the device model name of the image forming apparatus 10 is displayed on the connected
page 1510. Also, status information of the image forming apparatus 10, for example,
information about the remaining amount of an ink cartridge or toner, may be displayed
on the connected page 1510. The mobile terminal 20 may configure the connected page
1510 by obtaining the status information of the image forming apparatus 10 through
the wireless connection.
[0166] Only the print, scan, and fax menus corresponding to the device capability of the
image forming apparatus 10 may be activated in the mobile application 2502. The device
capability may be obtained not only through the NFC tagging but also through the wireless
connection establishment process.
[0167] A user may select any one of the print, scan, and fax menus by manipulating the mobile
terminal 20. The GUI 140a of FIG. 14A illustrates a print job page. Icons such as
"gallery", "camera", etc. are displayed on the print job page. An image stored in
the mobile terminal 20 may be selected through the "gallery" icon. If the "gallery"
icon is selected, the print job page may be switched to a subpage. For convenience
of explanation, the print job page is defined to refer to both of an upper-level page
and a subpage, i.e. the first page and the second page accessed through the first
page, for example by selecting an icon displayed on the first page.
[0168] If a scan or fax menu, not a print menu, is selected at the connected page 1510,
a scan job page or a fax job page is displayed.
[0169] Returning to FIG. 10, after operation 1045, the mobile terminal 20 detects the NFC
tag 30 through the second NFC tagging (operation 1050). In this case, since the NFC
module 210 operates as a read mode, the tag information may be re-read out from the
NFC tag 30.
[0170] After detecting the NFC tag through the second NFC tagging (operation 1050) or determining
that the wireless connection with the image forming apparatus corresponding to the
value of the third field of the tag information is established (operation 1015-Y),
the mobile terminal 20 determines whether the NFC tag 30 that is finally detected
is the tag of the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1020). If the mobile application
2502 is already executed and the wireless connection with the image forming apparatus
10 is already established, during the first NFC tagging, the mobile terminal 20 determines
whether the NFC tag 30 detected by the first NFC tagging is the tag of the image forming
apparatus 10. Unlike the above, when there is the second NFC tagging of operation
1050, the mobile terminal 20 determines whether the NFC tag 30 detected by the second
NFC tagging is the tag of the image forming apparatus 10.
[0171] In order to determine whether an NFC tag 30 is the tag of the image forming apparatus
10, the mobile terminal 20 uses the tag information obtained from the NFC tag 30.
For example, if both of the first NFC tagging and the second NFC tagging have been
performed, the tag information obtained by the first NFC tagging and the tag information
obtained by the second NFC tagging are compared with each other and it is determined
whether both of the tag information match each other. In doing so, only a part of
the tag information may be compared.
[0172] According to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
the mobile terminal 20 may compare the tag information of the tag that is finally
detected with the information of the image forming apparatus 10 that is wirelessly
connected, so as to determine whether it is the tag of the image forming apparatus
10. The mobile terminal 20 may have already collected device information, for example
a MAC address or an IP address, a model name, a wireless connection method, etc. of
the image forming apparatus 10 in the wireless connection establishment process with
the image forming apparatus 10, or may identify the device information from the image
forming apparatus 10 through the wireless connection. Accordingly, the mobile terminal
20 may check whether the NFC tag 30 is the tag of the image forming apparatus 10 by
comparing the device information of the image forming apparatus 10 that is wirelessly
connected with at least one of the value of the third field (device identifier), the
value of the fourth field (authentication code), the value of the fifth field (device
model name), the value of the sixth field (device capability), and the value of the
seventh field (wireless connection type) of the tag information.
[0173] The mobile terminal 20 may check an object that calls NFC API during the second NFC
tagging. If the mobile terminal 20 simultaneously executes mobile application 2502
and another application for multitasking, the mobile terminal 20 may check whether
the object that calls NFC API during the second NFC tagging is the mobile application
2502.
[0174] If it is determined in operation 1020 that the NFC tag 30 is not the tag of the image
forming apparatus 10 (operation 1020-N), the mobile terminal 20 may terminate the
wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1055). In other
words, if the NFC tag 30 detected through the second NFC tagging is a tag of another
image forming apparatus (not illustrated), the wireless connection with the image
forming apparatus 10 is terminated and a wireless connection with the other image
forming apparatus may be established. The mobile terminal 20 may display a message
to notice a change of a wireless connection target.
[0175] If it is determined in operation 1020 that the NFC tag 30 is the tag of the image
forming apparatus 10 (operation 1020-Y), the mobile terminal 20 generates data of
a job to be performed by the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1025). The job
to be performed may be determined according to the state of the mobile application
2502 during the final NFC tagging. In the following description, the final NFC tagging
is assumed to be the second NFC tagging. The state of the mobile application 2502
may be a state in which an initial page, a print job page, a scan job page, or a fax
job page is displayed, that is, as a GUI. The mobile terminal 20 identifies a page
of the mobile application 2502 displayed on the mobile terminal 20 during the second
NFC tagging and executes an event mapped on the identified page. The mapped event
may be deformed according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept and FIG. 12 illustrates examples of events mapped on the respective pages.
[0176] FIGS. 16A and 16B are flowcharts describing an operation according to the mobile
application 2502, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept. The above descriptions may be referred to for the present exemplary embodiment.
In FIGS. 16A-B, it is assumed that the mobile application 2502 is executed and the
wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10 is established.
[0177] Referring to FIG. 16A, the mobile terminal 20 detects an NFC tag 30 through the second
NFC tagging (operation 1605). The mobile terminal 20 determines whether a page of
the mobile application 2502 is an initial page during the second NFC tagging (operation
1610). If the page of the mobile application 2502 is an initial page, the mobile terminal
20 requests status information from the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1615).
The status information may signify information displayed on the connected page 1510
of FIG. 15. If the initial page of the mobile application 2502 already displays the
status information, the second NFC tagging may be understood to be an update of the
status information. The mobile terminal 20 receives the status information from the
image forming apparatus 10 through the wireless connection and displays the received
status information on the mobile terminal 20 (operation 1620).
[0178] If the page of the mobile application 2502 is not determined to be an initial page
during the second NFC tagging (operation 1610-N), the mobile terminal 20 determines
whether the page of the mobile application 2502 is a print job page (operation 1625).
If the page of the mobile application 2502 is determined to be a print job page (operation
1625-Y), the mobile terminal 20 renders a content selected from the print job page
and generates print job data (operation 1630). The mobile terminal 20 then transmits
the print job data including the rendered content to the image forming apparatus 10
(operation 1635).
[0179] with reference to FIG. 16B, if the page of the mobile application 2502 is not determined
to be the print job page during the second NFC tagging (operation 1625-N), the mobile
terminal 20 determines whether the page of the mobile application 2502 is a scan job
page (operation 1640). If the page of the mobile application 2502 is determined to
be a scan job page (operation 1640-Y), the mobile terminal 20 generates a scan command
according to detailed settings set on the scan job page, for example, a scan size,
a resolution, etc. and transmits scan job data including the scan command to the image
forming apparatus 10 (operation 1645). The image forming apparatus 10 may scan a document
according to the scan job data and transmit the scanned document to the mobile terminal
20 through the wireless connection. The image forming apparatus 10 may quickly scan
an image by lowering a scan resolution and provide a preview scan image which is received
at the mobile terminal 20 (operation 1655). A user of the mobile terminal 20 may check
the preview scan image. When the NFC tag 30 is detected again through the NFC tagging
(operation 1660-Y), the mobile terminal 20 requests a full scan image from the image
forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus 10 generates a full scan image and
transmits the generated full scan image to the mobile terminal 20 (operation 1665).
If the NFC tag 30 is not detected again (operation 1660-N), the operation may end.
According to another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept,
operations 1655 and 1660 may be omitted.
[0180] If the page of the mobile application 2502 is not determined to be the scan job page
during the second NFC tagging (operation 1640-N), the mobile terminal 20 determines
whether the page of the mobile application 2502 is a fax job page (operation 1670).
If the page of the mobile application 2502 is not determined to be a fax page (operation
1670-N), the operation ends. If the page of the mobile application 2502 is determined
to be a fax job page (operation 1670-Y), the mobile terminal 20 determines whether
a content of the mobile terminal 20 is selected in the fax job page (operation 1675).
If it is determined that the content of the mobile terminal 20 is selected in the
fax job page (operation 1675-Y), the selected content and fax job data including fax
detailed settings such as a destination address, a transmission rate, etc., is transmitted
to the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1680), and the operation ends. If it
is determined that the content of the mobile terminal 20 is not selected in the fax
job page (operation 1675-N), fax job data including a fax transmission command of
a local document of the image forming apparatus 10 is transmitted to the image forming
apparatus 10 (operation 1685), and the operation ends. The local document may be generated
through scanning. Unlike the above, the local document may be a document stored in
the storage unit 250 of the image forming apparatus 10. The image forming apparatus
10 may provide a result of the fax transmission to the mobile terminal 20. In another
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, operations 1675 and
1685 or operations 1675 and 1680 may be omitted.
[0181] When the mobile terminal 20 instantly performs the event mapped on each page of the
mobile application 2502 in the description of FIGS. 16A and B, the determination processes
of operation 1610, 1625, 1640, and 1670 may be omitted.
[0182] Referring back to FIG. 10, the mobile terminal 20 transmits the generated job data
to the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1030). The image forming apparatus 10
may perform an image forming job such as scanning, faxing, or printing according to
the job data.
[0183] Although in the above description the function of the image forming apparatus 10
is assumed to be scanning, faxing, or printing for convenience of explanation, other
functions may be further added or omitted.
[0184] In the exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept illustrated
in FIG. 10, when the mobile application 2502 is already executed and the wireless
connection with the image forming apparatus 10 is already established on the mobile
terminal 20 before the first NFC tagging, the operation of the mobile terminal 20
may be summarized by operations 1000, 1020, 1025, and 1030. In other words, in this
case, the mobile terminal 20 reads out the tag information written to the NFC tag
30 through the first NFC tagging (operation 1000) and determines whether the NFC tag
30 is the tag of the image forming apparatus 10 connected to the mobile terminal 20
based on the read tag information (operation 1020). If the NFC tag 30 is determined
to be the tag of the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1020-Y), data of the job
is generated (operation 1025) and is transmitted to the image forming apparatus 10
according to the page displayed on the mobile terminal 20 (operation 1030).
[0185] When the operation of the mobile terminal 20 is viewed from a different viewpoint,
the mobile terminal 20 detects NFC tagging with 30 where information about the image
forming apparatus 10 is written, determines an event to be performed by the NFC tagging
according to a job environment of an object that calls NFC API, and performs the determined
event based on the read information about the image forming apparatus 10. The object
may signify the mobile application 2502 or the embedded application 504 of the mobile
OS 2501. The job environment of the object may signify at least one of the establishment
of a wireless connection between the mobile terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus
10 and the installation or execution state of the or the mobile application 2502.
[0186] From the viewpoint of the NFC tag 30, tag information including at least one of the
first field including an application identifier, the second field including application
installation information, the third field including a device identifier, the fourth
field including a wireless connection authentication code, and the fifth field including
a device model name is written to the NFC tag 30 according to the present exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept according to the data structure
80. The NFC tag 30 provides the tag information to the mobile terminal 20 according
to the NFC tagging of the mobile terminal 20 supporting NFC. The application identifier
including the first field of the tag information launches the mobile application 2502
on the mobile terminal 20. The second field of the tag information is a field to install
the mobile application 2502. The third and fourth fields of the tag information are
fields to automate a wireless connection with the image forming apparatus 10. The
fifth field identifies the device model name.
[0187] FIG. 17 is a flowchart describing a method of writing the NFC tag 30 according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The above descriptions
may be referred to for the present exemplary embodiment.
[0188] Referring to FIG. 17, the mobile terminal 20 extracts predetermined field values
corresponding to the data structure 80 of the NFC tag 30 from the information collected
through the wireless connection establishment process with the image forming apparatus
10 (operation 1705). The wireless connection establishment process between the mobile
terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus 10 may be formed by a user's manual operation
and includes a connection via not only Wi-Fi-direct but also AP (802.11 b/g/n). The
information collected in the wireless connection establishment process, as described
above, includes at least one of an IP address, a MAC address, a device capability,
information about a wireless connection type, and a device model name. Also, if the
WPS authentication is performed through a user's PIN input, the PIN information may
be collected in the wireless connection establishment process.
[0189] However, as illustrated in a GUI 170b of FIG. 14E, if the WPS authentication is performed
through the WPS button provided on the image forming apparatus 10, the mobile terminal
20 may not collected the PIN information of the image forming apparatus 10. When the
PIN information is not collected, the PIN information may be requested from the image
forming apparatus 10 after the wireless connection is established. Alternatively,
for security reasons, the PIN information may not be collected through the wireless
connection. Also, the information collected by the mobile terminal 20 further includes
information that is exchanged according to Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi-direct, in addition to the
above-described information.
[0190] The mobile terminal 20 extracts only the information having a meaning to be written
to the NFC tag 30 among the collected information. Accordingly, the mobile terminal
20 extracts a field value of the tag information to be written to the NFC tag 30,
referring to the data structure 80.
[0191] The mobile terminal 20 arranges predetermined field values extracted according to
the data structure 80 and generates tag information including the predetermined field
values (operation 1710). The extracted field values are written according to the data
structure 80 of the NFC tag 30. Accordingly, the extracted field values are arranged
according to the data structure 80 to prevent the extracted field values from being
written to the NFC tag 30 in a mixed order.
[0192] On the other hand, all field values of tag information may not be obtained only with
the information collected from the wireless connection establishment process. For
example, in an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept in which
tag information includes the value of the first field (application identifier) or
the value of the second field (application installation information), the value of
the first field (application identifier) and the value of the second field (application
installation information) are not obtained during the wireless connection establishment
process unless they are designed to be separately transmitted by the image forming
apparatus 10.
[0193] In the following description, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus 10 does
not transmit the value of the first field (application identifier) and the value of
the second field (application installation information) to the mobile terminal 20
in the wireless connection establishment process with the mobile terminal 20. A process
of generating tag information as the mobile terminal 20 further obtains information
that is not collected in the wireless connection establishment process will be described
later.
[0194] The mobile terminal 20 writes the generated tag information to the NFC tag 30 through
the NFC tagging (operation 1715). In other words, the NFC module 210 of the mobile
terminal 20 operates in the write mode to write the tag information to the NFC tag
30.
[0195] FIG. 18 is a flowchart describing a method of writing the NFC tag 30 according to
another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. The above descriptions
may be referred to for the present exemplary embodiment.
[0196] Referring to FIG. 18, the mobile terminal 20 executes the mobile application 2502
(operation 1805). The mobile application 2502 may operate in a manager mode other
than a general user mode. To operate in a manager mode, a user inputs a manager authentication
key to the mobile application 2502. According to another exemplary embodiment of the
present general inventive concept, a mobile application for a manager may exist separately
from a mobile application for a general user. While including all functions of a mobile
application for a general user, a mobile application for a manager may further include
a write function of the NFC tag 30. Also, according to another exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept, a mobile application for a manager may include
only the write function of the NFC tag 30.
[0197] The mobile application 2502 may be provided with a write button 1401b to select the
write function of the NFC tag 30 as illustrated in a GUI 140b of FIG. 14C. The mobile
terminal 20 receives a selection of the write button 1401b through the user interface
unit 230 (operation 1810). The mobile terminal 20 switches the NFC module 210 from
the read mode to the write mode.
[0198] The mobile terminal 20 discovers candidate devices capable of performing an image
forming job in engagement with the mobile application 2502 (operation 1815). The mobile
terminal 20 displays the discovered candidate devices like a GUI 145b of FIG. 14C.
The mobile terminal 20 may collect at least one information of an IP address, a device
model name, and a MAC address of each of the candidate devices from AP (802.11 b/g/n)
connected to the candidate devices or wireless connection signaling of the candidate
devices, through the discovery of candidate devices.
[0199] The mobile application 2502 may display only the candidate devices capable of being
engaged with the mobile application 2502 by using the device model name or the device
capability information among the information collected in the candidate device discovering
process. Accordingly, not all Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi-direct devices are displayed on the mobile
terminal 20.
[0200] The mobile terminal 20 establishes a wireless connection with the image forming apparatus
10 among the discovered candidate devices (operation 1820). Referring to FIG. 14C,
the user selects a Wi-Fi connection button 1451b or a Wi-Fi-direct connection button
1452b of the candidate devices displayed on the mobile terminal 20 so as to select
any one candidate device (the image forming apparatus 10). In the wireless connection
establishment process, the mobile terminal 20 performs response signaling including
"Get device capability" to the wireless connection signaling of the image forming
apparatus 10 or AP (802.11 b/g/n) connected to the image forming apparatus 10. Next,
the mobile terminal 20 obtains information about the device capability of the image
forming apparatus 10 from the image forming apparatus 10. A detailed description about
the information collected through the wireless connection is already described above.
[0201] The mobile terminal 20 extracts predetermined field values corresponding to the data
structure 80 of the NFC tag 30 from the information collected in the wireless connection
establishment process with the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1825). The mobile
terminal 20 may extract at least one of the device identifier included in the third
field, the device model name included in the fifth field, the device capability included
in the sixth field, and the wireless connection type included in the seventh field,
in the tag information.
[0202] The mobile terminal 20 obtains a field value different from the predetermined field
value extracted from the mobile application 2502 (operation 1830). The different field
value may include at least one of the application identifier included in the first
field and the application installation information included in the second field, in
the tag information. In other words, the mobile terminal 20 extracts the application
identifier and application installation information of the mobile application 2502
that is currently executed.
[0203] The authentication code included in the fourth field of the tag information may be
directly input by the user to the mobile terminal 20. The mobile terminal 20 may output
a dialog to receive an input of the authentication code. If the authentication code
is input, the mobile terminal 20 may check validity of data of the input authentication
code and then encrypt the authentication code.
[0204] As a method of checking the authentication code, the user may check the PIN set on
the image forming apparatus 10 by using a print report function to check a setting
value of the image forming apparatus 10. According to another exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept, the mobile terminal 20 may obtain the authentication
code of the image forming apparatus 10 from the FW providing server 70. In another
exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the mobile terminal
20 may extract the authentication code during FW update when FW update data includes
the authentication code.
[0205] In another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the NFC
tag 30 may be written except for the authentication code. In this case, the writing
of the NFC tag 30 except for the authentication code is first performed and the authentication
code of the NFC tag 30 may be secondly written according to the exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept illustrated in FIG. 13.
[0206] The mobile terminal 20 generates tag information by arranging field values different
from predetermined field values according to the data structure 80 (operation 1835).
For example, the application identifier, the application installation information,
the device identifier, the device model name, the device capability, and the information
about a wireless connection type are respectively arranged in the first field, the
second field, the third field, the fifth field, the sixth field, and the seventh field
of the tag information. However, when a field value exists that the mobile terminal
20 cannot identify, a corresponding field may be processed to be a random value or
a null value.
[0207] When the generation of the tag information is completed, the mobile terminal 20 may
guide the NFC tagging to a use as illustrated in a GUI 155b of FIG. 14D. The mobile
terminal 20 writes tag information to the NFC tag 30 through the NFC tagging (operation
1840). In doing so, the NFC module 210 of the mobile terminal 20 operates in the write
mode as described above. When the value of the fourth field (authentication code)
of the tag information is not known, the mobile terminal 20 may skip writing or write
a random value or a null value.
[0208] When the writing of the NFC tag 30 is completed, the mobile terminal 20 is switched
from the write mode to the read mode (operation 1845). As illustrated in a GUI 160b
of FIG. 14D, the mobile terminal 20 notifies the completion of writing and may be
switched to the read mode when the "OK" button is selected.
[0209] When the value of the fourth field (authentication code) of the tag information is
not known and thus the writing is skipped or a random value or a null value is written,
the mobile terminal 20 may write the value of the fourth field (authentication code)
by performing the process of FIG. 13.
[0210] When the image forming apparatus 10 supports only the authentication via the WPS
button, the FW of the image forming apparatus 10 may be updated so that the image
forming apparatus 10 may support the PIN authentication. If the image forming apparatus
10 does not support the PIN authentication, the wireless connection between the mobile
terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus 10 may not be automatically performed
even when the NFC tag 30 is used.
[0211] A method of updating FW of the image forming apparatus 10 will be described with
reference to FIG. 19. In FIG. 19, a dotted arrow indicates an operation that may be
selectively performed or omitted according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
general inventive concept. For example, the image forming apparatus 10 may directly
receive FW update data from the FW providing server 70 and update FW of the image
forming apparatus 10. In another exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive
concept, the FW of the image forming apparatus 10 may be updated under the control
of the mobile terminal 20.
[0212] First, the mobile terminal 20 and the image forming apparatus 10 exchange information
about FW of the image forming apparatus 10 (operation 1901). The dotted arrow illustrated
under operation 1901 indicates a case in which the mobile terminal 20 is not involved,
and instead firmware information of the image forming apparatus 10 is sent directly
from the image forming apparatus 10 to the FW providing server 70.
[0213] If mobile terminal 20 is involved, it determines whether the FW of the image forming
apparatus 10 needs to be updated (operation 1905). In other words, the mobile terminal
20 checks the FW version of the image forming apparatus 10 and checks whether the
FW version of the image forming apparatus 10 supports PIN authentication.
[0214] When it is determined that the FW version of the image forming apparatus 10 does
not support PIN authentication, the mobile terminal 20 requests FW update data from
the FW providing server 70 (operation 1910). When requesting FW update data, the mobile
terminal 20 may transmit information about a MAC address and a device model name of
the image forming apparatus 10 to the FW providing server 70.
[0215] Upon receiving a request for FW update data from the mobile terminal 20 or receiving
FW information directly from the image forming apparatus 10, the FW providing server
70 transmits the FW update data to the mobile terminal 20 (operation 1925). The mobile
terminal 20 updates the FW of the image forming apparatus 10 by using the received
FW update data (operation 1935). The dotted arrow illustrated under operation 1925
indicates a case in which the mobile terminal 20 is not involved, and the FW update
data is sent directly to the image forming apparatus 10.
[0216] When the FW of the image forming apparatus 10 is updated, the image forming apparatus
10 sets a PIN value to be used for authentication of a wireless connection (operation
1940). In a method of setting a PIN value of the image forming apparatus 10, a user
accesses a system setting web page provided by a web server included in the image
forming apparatus 10 through a web browser included in the image forming apparatus
10. A user may set a PIN value in the system setting web page. In another exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept, a user accesses the system setting
web page through the mobile terminal 20 to set the PIN value. In another exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the PIN value is already included
in the FW update data and thus the PIN may be automatically set during the FW update.
[0217] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept in
which a PIN value is included in the FW update data, the FW providing server 70 generates
a PIN value (operation 1920) by using at least one of a MAC address and a device model
name of the image forming apparatus 10. The generated PIN value may be stored in the
FW providing server 70.
[0218] When the PIN value is included in the FW update data, the mobile terminal 20 may
extract a PIN from the FW update data (operation 1930) prior to updating the firmware
of the image forming apparatus 10. The extracted PIN may be used to write the NFC
tag 30 as described above.
[0219] FIG. 6 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the image forming apparatus
10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
The above descriptions may be referred to for the present exemplary embodiment. In
the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept, the image
forming apparatus 10 is illustrated to be an MFP, but any one of a printer, a scanner,
a facsimile, or a copier, each performing a single function, may be the image forming
apparatus 10, according to the exemplary embodiment.
[0220] Referring to FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus 10 includes a function module 110,
a web browser 120, a control unit 130, a storage unit 140, a wireless communication
module 150, a user interface unit 160, an Ethernet controller 170, and an NFC module
180. The elements indicated by a dotted line may be omitted according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
[0221] The function module 110 includes a print module 1101, a fax module 1102, a scan module
1103, and a copy module 1104, respectively performing a print function, a fax transceiving
function, a document scanning function, and a document copying function.
[0222] The Ethernet controller 170 signifies hardware performing wired Ethernet communication
according to IEEE 802.3.
[0223] The wireless communication module 150 establishes a Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi-direct connection
via AP. The wireless communication module 150 may be understood from the description
about the wireless communication module 220 of the mobile terminal 20.
[0224] The web browser 120 accesses a web page through the wireless communication module
150 or the Ethernet controller 170. The web browser 120 may access a system setting
web page provided by a FW management unit 1303 for system setting. In this case, a
user may set or output the above-described PIN value through the web browser 120.
[0225] The storage unit 140 stores print data, fax documents, scan documents, emails, etc.
The storage unit 140 may include a folder (hereinafter, referred to as the document
box) generated according to a file server function of the image forming apparatus
10. The document box may include a personalized box generated for each user and a
common box of which use by all users is permitted. A file that may be stored in the
document box may include a print job, print data of a PDL language, rendered print
data, an image file, a word document, etc., in addition to the above-described fax
documents, scan documents, and emails. However, the present general inventive concept
is not limited thereto. Also, the storage unit 140 stores FW of the image forming
apparatus 10.
[0226] The user interface unit 160 is hardware functioning as a medium to check information
of the image forming apparatus 10 and for a user to input a command to the image forming
apparatus 10. The user interface unit 160 may be understood from the description about
the user interface unit 230 of the mobile terminal 20. The user interface unit 160
may be embodied for example by a touch screen.
[0227] The NFC module 180 may include an NFC chipset like the NFC module 210 of the mobile
terminal 20. In this case, as described above, the image forming apparatus 10 and
the mobile terminal 20 may operate in a P2P mode. In another exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept, the NFC module 180 includes a slot to install
the NFC tag 30, supplies electric power so that the NFC tag 30 may operate as an active
tag, and allows the image forming apparatus 10 to read and write with respect to the
NFC tag 30. The NFC module 180 may be omitted according to an exemplary embodiment
of the present general inventive concept.
[0228] The control unit 130 performs a function of controlling an overall operation of the
image forming apparatus 10. Information needed for control is stored in the storage
unit 140 and read out when necessary. The control unit 130 includes a job controller
1301, a PIN management unit 1302, and a FW management unit 1303.
[0229] The job controller 1301 registers and performs a print, scan, or fax job according
to job data received from the mobile terminal 20.
[0230] The FW management unit 1303 manages the FW stored in the storage unit 140 of the
image forming apparatus 10. The FW management unit 1303 updates FW through the mobile
terminal 20 or by directly accessing the FW providing server 70. The FW management
unit 1303 may include a web server function and provide a web page for system setting,
as described above.
[0231] The PIN management unit 1302 manages PIN set on the image forming apparatus 10. The
PIN management unit 1302 may be added in FW as FW is updated. The PIN management unit
1302 performs WPS authentication when a wireless connection with the mobile terminal
20 is established. A detailed description about the WPS authentication is already
described above.
[0232] FIG. 7 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the FW providing server 70 according
to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Referring to
FIG. 7, the FW providing server 70 includes a FW management unit 710, a PIN generation
unit 720, a control unit 730, a network interface 740, a user interface unit 750,
and a storage unit 760.
[0233] The FW management unit 710 provides FW update data stored in the storage unit 760
according to a request of the mobile terminal 20 or the image forming apparatus 10.
The FW management unit 710 may provide FW update data suitable for the image forming
apparatus 10 referring to a device model name or a MAC address of the image forming
apparatus 10.
[0234] The network interface 740 establishes a wired/wireless connection with the mobile
terminal 20 or the image forming apparatus 10 and transmits the FW update data.
[0235] The user interface unit 750 provides an I/O port that may be connected to a human
interface device (HID) or a monitor.
[0236] The PIN generation unit 720 generates a PIN value to be set on the image forming
apparatus 10 when FW update is requested. The PIN generation unit 720 may generate
PIN by using a MAC address, a device model name, etc. of the image forming apparatus
10. The generated PIN value may be stored in the storage unit 760. The PIN generation
unit 720 may be omitted.
[0237] The control unit 730 performs a function of controlling an overall operation of the
FW providing server 70. Information needed for control is stored in the storage unit
760 and read out when necessary.
[0238] A GUI of the mobile terminal 20 in the method of writing the NFC tag 30 according
to the present exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept will
be described with reference to FIGS. 14C-14E.
[0239] First, referring to FIG. 14C, the mobile application 2502 is executed in the mobile
terminal 20 and a print job page is selected in the mobile application 2502. As described
above, the GUI 140b includes the write button 1401b to write the NFC tag 30.
[0240] When the write button 1401b is selected, the mobile terminal 20 discovers candidate
devices and displays the discovered candidate devices on the GUI 145b. The GUI 145b
displays a Wi-Fi device, for example "CLX-4190 Series", and a Wi-Fi-direct device,
for example "Direct90dMCLX-4190 Series", as candidate devices. The GUI 145b includes
buttons 1451b and 1452b to select each device.
[0241] When a user select the button 1451b, the mobile terminal 20 obtains device capability
of Wi-Fi device "CLX-4190 Series" through Wi-Fi and outputs the GUI 150b of FIG. 14D.
[0242] Next, when the generation of tag information is completed, the mobile terminal 20
guides NFC tagging through the GUI 155b of FIG. 14D. When writing the NFC tag 30 is
completed, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the GUI 160b.
[0243] If the button 1452b is selected in FIG. 14C, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the GUI
165b of FIG. 14E and tries a wireless connection to Wi-Fi-direct device "Direct90dMCLX-4190
Series" via Wi-Fi-direct. Then, since WPS authentication with "Direct90dMCLX-4190
Series" is needed, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the GUI 170b to guide pressing the
WPS button (not illustrated) of "Direct90dMCLX-4190 Series". When the WPS button is
pressed, the mobile terminal 20 outputs the GUI 175b and establishes a wireless connection.
Then, like the above-described GUI of a Wi-Fi connection, device capability of "Direct90dMCLX-4190
Series" is obtained and the GUI 150b of FIG. 14D is output. Next, when the generation
of tag information is completed, the mobile terminal 20 guide NFC tagging through
the GUI 155b of FIG. 14D. When the writing of the NFC tag 30 is completed, the mobile
terminal 20 outputs the GUI 160b.
[0244] The present general inventive concept can also be embodied as computer-readable codes
on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium can include a computer-readable
recording medium and a computer-readable transmission medium. The computer-readable
recording medium is any data storage device that can store data as a program which
can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable recording
medium include a semiconductor memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory
(RAM), a USB memory, a memory card, a Blu-Ray disc, CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy
disks, and optical data storage devices. The computer-readable recording medium can
also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer-readable
code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion. The computer-readable transmission
medium can transmit carrier waves or signals (e.g., wired or wireless data transmission
through the Internet). Also, functional programs, codes, and code segments to accomplish
the present general inventive concept can be easily construed by programmers skilled
in the art to which the present general inventive concept pertains.
[0245] As described above, according to the present general inventive concept, a wireless
connection between a mobile terminal and an image forming apparatus may be conveniently
established without damaging security. Also, since the image forming apparatus performs
an image forming job with only NFC tagging of the mobile terminal, usability in manipulating
the mobile terminal may be improved.
[0246] Furthermore, the present general inventive concept is directed to an NFC tag 30 including
tag information divided into a plurality of fields. Each field includes discrete information
which a mobile terminal 20 uses separately from each other to perform different operations
associated with controlling an electronic apparatus.
[0247] Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown
and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may
be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles of the general
inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their
equivalents.
[0248] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with
or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are
open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers
and documents are incorporated herein by reference.
[0249] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims,
abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed,
may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such
features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.
[0250] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims,
abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent
or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated
otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent
or similar features.
[0251] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The
invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed
in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings),
or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process
so disclosed.